Today some Miyazaki Oolong-Black Sakimidori from yuuki. Interesting stuff, reminds me of a cross between a yixing hong cha and a darjeeling second flush. First couple infusions had a real sharpness, but it's a good sharpness that goes away very fast after it jolts you to attention. Gets very sweet when cooled to warm temp. A nice fruity chocolaty coconutty aroma in the liquor and wet leaf. I enjoy the fact that it shares many darjeeling characteristics but has more the gentleness of a yixing red.

Tea has a really heating effect on me and a couple of others who have tried it. First time I brewed it I broke out into a good sweat. Very controlled bitterness, almost none at all. Holding up well so far, going onto infusion 4 and will brew this as the last slightly longer infusion. Didn't expect its flavour to endure as well as it did throughout infusions. Twisting is very loose so it opens up and releases very fast. I was surprised to see my teapot almost fully expanded with leaf by the beginning of the second infusion.

A very welcomed addition to their lineup.

Last edited by teaisme on Mar 1st, '12, 18:16, edited 1 time in total.

Being a bear of very little manners, he wanted the not-so-fine young puerh with the still powerful earthy aroma of rotten fish. He really was about as polite in letting them know of his preference as large grizzlies ever have to be.

debunix wrote:Being a bear of very little manners, he wanted the not-so-fine young puerh with the still powerful earthy aroma of rotten fish. He really was about as polite in letting them know of his preference as large grizzlies ever have to be.

I thought he was smelling the dry Yutaka Midori leaves warming in the preheated "camping kyusu" (you have one of these, right?) ... they say bears can smell for miles. You can tell the moment the leaves were dumped into the kyusu ... that abrupt about face and coming running.

All things considered, he was indeed being very polite.

In his honor ... YM this morn with a grizzly Mrs. and Gyokuro Gyoko-Hou this after ... both from O-Cha for a great TeaDay

Have you heard any variations of the bear attack joke?``We advise that outdoorsmen wear noisy little bells on their clothing so as not to startle bears. We also advise outdoorsmen to carry pepper spray with them in case of an encounter with a bear....

Outdoorsmen should recognize the difference between Black Bear and Grizzly Bear droppings. Black bear droppings are smaller and contain lots of berries and squirrel fur. Grizzly bear droppings have little bells in it and smell like pepper.''

Started the day with a batch of Xue Dian Mei Lan, the oolong-ish green tea from Yunnan, then on to some Alishan oolong for the afternoon. Now trying to get through some paperwork with a bit of Gui Zhu Zi Sun green tea--altogether a very Norbu day.

No bears charging my tea thermos or tea cups today, but boss's not-quite-grizzly gruffness was nicely placated a bit with some of the Ali Shan.